THE Bauchi State Police Command is mourning the tragic death of a 42-year-old Divisional Police Officer of the Railway Division, Mustapha Garba, who died in a fatal car crash less than an hour before his wedding Fatiha.
This newspaper gathered from the state police spokesperson, Mohammed Wakil, in a telephone interview on Sunday, that two other individuals also lost their lives in the Saturday accident.
According to Wakil, the crash occurred around 11:30am on Saturday, along the Bargar Tsamiya area in the Toro Local Government Area.
The accident involved a Mercedes-Benz driven by the DPO, with two passengers onboard, and a stationary Opel Astra parked by the roadside.
“The DPO was on his way from Gumau to Magama Gumau to attend his wedding Fatiha when he hit a pothole, lost control of the vehicle, veered into the opposite lane, and crashed into a stationary car before somersaulting into the bush,” Wakil explained.
One of the deceased was identified as 45-year-old Mr Shaaibu Cheski, a resident of Gumau town.
Both he and SP Garba were pronounced dead at the Toro General Hospital, where they were rushed for treatment.
In a formal statement, the police command stated, “The command is in mourning. SP Mustapha Garba was on his way to his wedding when the unfortunate incident occurred.
“He was in the company of three friends in a Mercedes-Benz.
“At Bargan Tsamiya, the vehicle lost control, veered off its lane, and had a head-on collision with an Opel Vectra coming from the opposite direction.”
The statement added, “Upon receiving the news, the Commissioner of Police, CP Auwal Sani-Omolori, immediately directed the DPO of Toro Division to mobilise personnel and evacuate the victims to the Toro General Hospital.
“Sadly, a medical doctor confirmed the groom and two others dead. Their bodies have since been released to their families for burial.”
Sani-Omolori extended his condolences to the bereaved families, praying for strength and comfort during their time of grief.